Hold on …Taco Tuesday is about to get even more delicious! Chicken Verde Taco Bowls are like taco night low carb / keto style! Seasoned cauliflower rice, chopped cabbage, shredded chicken and fresh tomatillo salsa with all your favorite toppings makes for one incredible meal. Easy to prepare for a weeknight meal or a great option to meal prep and pack for lunch…either way I have a feeling this will become a favorite on your weekly meal rotation!
I have to admit…we eat tacos of some kind two to three times a week…especially in the summer. After the Cowboy comes in after a long day working on the tractor in 100 degree temperatures he is definitely not looking for a hot, heavy meal…and tacos are one of his all-time favorite dinners! Cool, crisp and super easy to put together they are a great quick weeknight dinner option. We serve them up “taco bar” style so everyone can customize their dinner. Maddie and I put together a big taco salad with all the fixins’, the Cowboy makes a few tacos his way and everyone enjoys a quick delicious dinner! Paige likes to change her combination on us all the time to keep us guessing…it’s typically meat lettuce and avocado for her…no cheese!
Well, as much as I love taco night…I must admit I get bored with it. You know how it is to get stuck in a rut where you are cooking the same things week after week? So, when I find myself rolling my eyes at the thought of another night of tacos I know its time to change it up…Chicken Verde Taco Bowls are the answer!
One night I made a big pan of enchiladas for ranch guests and after cooking all day and taking care of the guys, we were starving. Maddie and I put together some of our favorite taco toppings and a few new ones with some of the extra enchilada ingredients and Chicken Verde Taco Bowls were born! As a matter of fact, it was so good I made an extra batch of Tomatillo Salsa and shredded chicken to keep in the fridge for the next few days so we could have these bowls for lunch…they were so good!
If you have never made tomatillo salsa don’t be intimidated…it really couldn’t be easier and the flavor is out of this world amazing! Roasting the veggies brings our incredible flavors…then it’s as easy as blending it up!
I love using chicken thighs for this because they stay moist and have so much more flavor than chicken breast. Also, they have a better protein to fat ratio for keto…white meat, not so much! You could also roast a whole chicken and use a combination! There are a few parts to the recipe but don’t let that stop you…they are super easy and can all be made ahead of time!
Perfect for a low carb dinner or quick lunch on a hot summer day, these Chicken Verde Taco Bowls just can’t be beat! A combination of veggies, topped with warm chicken, spicy, tangy tomatillo salsa and cool, creamy toppings…taco night will quickly become your favorite night of the week!
For another topping option, check out Authentic & Simple Texas Guacamole!
Chicken Verde Taco Bowls
Perfect for a low carb dinner or quick lunch on a hot summer day, these Chicken Verde Taco Bowls just can’t be beat! A combination of veggies, topped with warm chicken, spicy, tangy tomatillo salsa and cool, creamy toppings…taco night will quickly become your favorite night of the week!
Ingredients
- Tomatillo Salsa
- 6 tomatillos, husked and washed
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 10 cloves of garlic with peel
- 2 jalapenos, whole
- ¼ cup water
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. salt
- Cauliflower Rice
- 3 T butter
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced or ½ tsp granulated garlic
- 2 10 oz. packages frozen plain cauliflower rice, like Birds Eye or 4 cups riced cauliflower
- ¼ tsp cumin
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 4 cups roasted chicken thighs, deboned and shredded
- Toppings
- Shredded Cabbage
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- Sour Cream or Mexican Crema
- Sliced Avocado
- Minced Purple Onion
- Chopped Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a parchment lined sheet pan place tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. The veggies should be blistered and a little charred and brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes until cool enough to handle.
- Step 2 Take peeling off garlic and remove stem and seeds from jalapeno. At this point you may want to taste the jalapeno to make sure you are ok with the heat level.
- Step 3 Place tomatillos, onion, peeled garlic cloves, seeded jalapenos, water, salt, cilantro and lime juice in a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth. Pour into bowl for assembly.
- Step 4 If using frozen cauliflower rice, follow package instructions to decreasing steam time to 3 minutes. Carefully open the packages and press cauliflower rice between a couple paper towels to remove some of the excess moisture and set aside. To prepare the cauliflower rice, melt butter over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté until translucent, then add garlic and cook another minute. Add the cauliflower rice to the pan with cumin and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly until heated through about rice begins to brown. Season with salt & pepper to taste. If using fresh riced cauliflower the cooking time will be a little longer, 5-6 minutes or until tender.
- Step 5 Assembly: You can layer your bowl any way you’d like but this is how we do it! Place about ½ a cup of cauliflower rice in the bottom of your bowl and top with a little cheese. Top the rice with about a ½ cup shredded chicken. Spoon on Tomatillo Salsa as desired. Top with Monterrey jack cheese, shredded cabbage, sour cream, avocado or guacamole, minced onion and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
